Missing Pieces
by amyvictoriaa
Summary: MAY CONTAIN SEASON 6 SPOILERS! Familiar faces turn up unexpectadly at Downton and shake up the lives of some family members. Life changing decisions have to be taken and important choices must be made. Love can be a tricky matter...
1. Chapter 1

**MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR SEASON 6!**

 **Disclamer: I do not own any Downton Abbey characters used in my fan fiction. They are all owned by Julian Fellows.**

 _ **When I found out that Tom was returning to Downton, I really wanted to write a fan fic about it and I've finally done it! This story isn't just a copy of the Downton Abbey storyline though, I've got a lot of ideas for this fic and I'm really exited about it.**_

 _ **Right, so I really hope you enjoy the start, I know it isn't very long but the next chapters will be longer. Please let me know what you thought by leaving a review, they really help!**_

* * *

It was a warm summer's evening, the sky was a beautiful shade of orange as the sun set for the night. There was a slight breeze which caused the smallest branches on the old oak tree to sway gently from side to side. Cora, Violet and Edith and Mary were seated under the tree around a small table that had been set up earlier in the day. Children's laughter filled the air as the two youngest Crawleys, George and little Marigold chased each other around the grounds as the four women enjoyed tea and cake. It was the perfect summer's day… Well, almost, Mary thought.

"I do wish Tom were here," Mary sighed. "I'm sure Sybbie would much rather be playing with her cousins rather than be stuck in a town house with nothing to do," she said as she smiled at her son as he rolled around in the grass.

"I know, I do miss them..." Cora replied sadly.

"There's no point in dwelling on it," Edith intervened. "Tom is doing what's best for him and his daughter, and I admire that," she added absentmindedly. She wished that she could take Marigold and start afresh, just like her brother-in-law had. She really did envy him sometimes. She envied his strength and determination to make a better life for himself and for his daughter. She knew that Marigold was happy at Downton, and that she loved having her older cousin to play with but she wasn't sure that she would be happy there forever, not knowing who her real parents were nor where she came from. Edith wanted to be able to tell her that she wasn't in fact, adopted but on the contrary had a mother who loved her very much. She wanted to be able to tell her about her father, about Michael whom she had loved so dearly. She wanted to be able to tell her daughter the truth about her past, she didn't want her whole life to be a lie.

"But is it really what's best for them?" Cora asked, not so sure she agreed with her daughter.

"I agree with Mama," Mary interrupted. "Downton is their home, it's where they belong," she said stubbornly.

"I disagree," Edith said, staring at the ground and then back up at her sister.

"You would," Mary replied, rolling her eyes.

"I think belonging somewhere depends entirely on whether you are happy there or not. If Tom is happy in Boston, then surely that is where he belongs," Edith added.

"How philosophical of you," her sister replied, a sarcastic tone to her voice. "And anyway," Mary pursued, "he isn't happy there," she said with certainty, lifting her head a little higher.

"What do you mean?" Cora asked her daughter, feeling slightly intrigued.

"In his letters to me, he always writes about how he _thinks_ he's doing the right thing or how he _hopes_ that he's making the right choices," she paused, "there is always a hint of uncertainty in his letters. He has not once written that he is happy." Hoping she'd made her point, she turned to her sister as though daring her to contradict her. Mary knew she was right and that consequently, Edith was not.

Edith sighed and shook her head in disbelief. Why did Mary always have to know best? She thought herself so superior to everyone else and the sooner she realized she wasn't, the better.

"Has it ever occurred to you that you might be wrong?" Edith asked in a slightly more annoyed voice.

"No," Mary replied almost instantly, "not on this subject." She picked up her cup of tea and had a sip before turning to Edith, raised her eyebrows and gave her a smug smile as though trying to rub it in just a little bit more.

Violet, who had been silently watching and listening to her granddaughters' conversation couldn't help but notice the similarities between Mary and herself. They both knew exactly what to say to win the fight and they never showed their vulnerabilities to their adversary.

In contrast to the complacent expression on Mary's face, Edith looked quite defeated. Cora was quick to notice and decided to change the subject.

"Have you any plans for this week?" She asked her youngest daughter, trying to show a little interest.

Edith cleared her throat and look up at her mama.

"As a matter of fact, I have," she replied. After a moment's hesitation, she carried on. "I'm meeting up with Bertie Pelham."

"I didn't know you'd kept in touch," Cora replied, shocked and happy to hear that her daughter had finally taken an interest in someone.

"Wh-who is this Mr. Pelham?" Violet interrupted. She had never heard of him before.

"He was the agent at Brancaster when we were last up there. He was at the shoot but quite frankly he spent most of him time trying his best to woo Edith..." Mary informed her granny.

"He did nothing of the sort," Edith replied as she began to feel frustrated with her sister.

"He never left your side!" Mary was quick to point out.

"Mary, dear," Violet interrupted, "why don't you go see if the children would like something to drink," she said, trying to avoid yet another argument between the two sisters.

Edith kept quiet but she was grateful that her granny had intervened.

Mary sighed, she wouldn't normally be told what to do but this time she thought it best. Besides, she couldn't stand to be around Edith for a minute longer.

"Will you be meeting Mr. Pelham in London?" Cora asked as Mary got up from her seat and headed towards the children.

"Yes," Edith replied, "I'll catch the 10 o'clock on Wednesday," she informed her mama.

"How long will you be gone?" Cora wondered. The last time she had gone to London to meet a man, she had become pregnant. She knew that was unlikely to happen again, but she felt the need to ask anyway.

"I'm only going for the day," she answered, taking a sip of her tea. "Bertie's a busy man, he's only in London for a few days on business. I wouldn't want to take up any more of his time."

"You must have made quite an impression on him if he's as busy as you say he is and willing to make time for you," Violet pointed out. She had got the feeling that Edith was quite taken with this man and it seemed he felt the same way.

"Oh I don't know about that," Edith said as she took a bite from her cake, blushing slightly.

As Mary approached her son, he jumped up from where he had been sat in the grass and ran as fast as his little legs could take him towards his mother.

Mary laughed as he leaped into her arms and hugged her, his face red from all the running around he had been doing.

"Look at you," she said in a much softer voice as she gently wiped his damp hair away from his face. "Are you thirsty?" She asked him but he shook his head. "What about you, Marigold?" She asked the little girl that had walked over to her side and was looking up at her shyly. Mary put George back on the ground and bent down in front of Marigold. "Would you like a drink of juice?" She asked her again and this time the little girl shook her head.

"Will you play?" George asked his mama sweetly.

She looked down at what she was wearing and realized she wasn't exactly dressed to be running around in the grass. George was staring at her in anticipation, his bright blue eyes filled with hope. Mary had seen that look before, it was the look Matthew had given her when he awaited her answer after proposing to her that night in the snow. God, George looked just like his father. In fact, he looked more and more like him as the days passed. His hair, his eyes, his facial expressions, even his personality, it was all Matthew. She looked down at her little boy again, he would never know what his father was like, he would never be able to talk to him, and he would never be able to play with him like a father and son should. At that moment, she just wanted her son to be happy. She bent down and removed her shoes and then lifting her hands to her head, she removed her hat.

"What would you like to play?" She asked the children as their faces lit up.

"Tag!" George shouted and Marigold bit her lip and nodded in agreement. Mary had never really spoken to Marigold and she had certainly never played with her and she could tell that she was rather shy around her.

"Shall I be it, then?" Mary asked the little girl in a gentle tone, trying to gain her trust. Marigold smiled at Mary and she smiled back at her.

"Alright then, you'd better run," Mary told them, "I'm quite a fast runner, you know," she informed them.

"Well that's something I never thought I'd see," Violet said as she watched her eldest granddaughter chasing the children around the grounds, bear-foot.

"You and I both," Edith added as she watched on in amazement.

As George ran ahead of his mama, he heard a familiar laugh. He looked up and to his surprise, he saw his older cousin running towards him.

"Sybbie!" He shouted happily as he ran to meet her.

Mary heard Sybbie's name and looked up in confusion. Just as she was ask her son what he was talking about she saw her niece running towards him.

"Sybbie?" She asked, as she ran over towards the little girl. "What-" as she got closer to her niece, she noticed a man walking towards them. "Tom?" She asked again, a puzzled expression on her face. Could it actually be? Had he come back? Her heart began to beat faster and faster as she started to re realize it actually was him. "He's back," she whispered to herself.

 **TBC..**

* * *

 ** _Ok, so Tom's back! I can't wait for tonight's episode of Downton to see how Julian writes Tom's return but I promise my story will be different to the show's. Please don't forget to let me know what you thought! I hope you enjoyed it._**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Remember this could contain season 6 spoilers!  
Last Sunday's episode of Downton was perfect, everything about it was amazing!_**

 ** _Please review and let me know what you think. Enjoy._**

* * *

Tom woke in his Boston apartment with tears in his eyes yet again. This hadn't been the first time he had awoken in that state. He briefly remembered mentioning it to Mary in his last letter to her. Mary… He sighed as he thought of his family on the other side of the Atlantic. How he missed them. How he longed to wake to the sound of birds singing atop the old oak trees instead of the incessant racket coming from the streets directly under his bedroom window. He lay back for a second and closed his eyes. He thought back to all the wonderful moments he had spent in the abbey with the family that occupy it. He smiled absentmindedly as many delightful memories filled his head. When he opened his eyes, he was met with a sight that he had seen very often but had never really taken the time to actually look before. In front of him was an empty room, the key word being empty. It was a simple, lifeless room that carried neither memories nor moments of happiness.

For the first time since their move to America, Tom asked himself an all important question:

'What am I doing here?'

He didn't sit around and wait for the answer to come to him for he already knew the answer, he had just hoped that with time, his homesickness would pass. His old self would have found it ironic that he would refer to Downton as his home, but the truth was, that's exactly what it was – his home – and suddenly it all seemed clear. At first he had thought that Boston would be a new start for him and Sybbie, he had thought it a good move but what he now realised was that he didn't need nor want a new start. Both he and his daughter belonged at Downton where they would be amongst family, not in a lonely town house half way across the world from the people he loved most.

Now that he knew what he was going to do, he wasted no time. Within twenty minutes he had packed up all of his belongings into a rather small leather suitcase.

"Sybbie, darling," he whispered as he entered her little bedroom at the end of the hall. But as he walked in he noticed that she was still fast asleep in her bed – it was only half past six, after all – so he quietly closed the door and headed towards the stairs.

He hadn't wanted many staff in his new home but he did have a woman, Mrs. Potter who took care of both the house and Sybbie whilst he was at work during the day. She was usually up at the crack of dawn to give the house a quick clean and to make Tom some breakfast for when he came downstairs although it wasn't part of her job description. She was a kind and friendly woman. Tom didn't know her exact age, he hadn't wanted to ask her – and he didn't really think it mattered much – but he guessed that she was in her late fifties, early sixties which would make her slightly older than Mrs. Hughes. She had helped him when he had first moved there and had recommended quite a few delicious restaurants. He would miss her when he left, she had shown him kindness when he had needed it the most but he knew that he was doing the right thing this time. He was sure of it.

"Mrs. Potter!" He greeted the old woman as he descended the stairs toward her.

"Ah, Mr. Branson," she replied in a beautifully pronounced American accent. "You're up early," she pointed out as she placed a vase of fresh flowers on the side table in the entrance.

"I couldn't sleep," he confessed as he arrived at the bottom of the stairs. "In fact, there's something I need to discuss with you – if you have a minute, that is," he said, rubbing his hands together nervously. It would be hard to let her go, especially after all the hard work she hat put it, but his mind was set and this was just something he would have to do.

"Of course, sir," she replied, making her way towards him. "Have I done something wrong?" She asked, a hint of worry to her tone.

"No, of course not!" Tom was quick to put her mind at ease. "It's just..." he paused for a second, he knew what he had to say but he didn't quite know how to put it.

"Yes?" She asked as her anxiety began to grow.

"These last few weeks, something has been on my mind. I've been doing quite a lot of thinking, about many things and I've recently found myself wondering what to do for the best..." he paused again and rubbed his forehead with his hand as though it would help him voice his thoughts.

"And you've decided that Downton Abbey is your best hope," the housekeeper said. Tom looked up and stared at her in comfirmation, his eyes filled with regret.

"Lately, I've noticed that you haven't quite been yourself, if you don't mind me saying," the woman added.

Tom shook his head, "no," he replied. "I haven't been happy in a long time, not properly happy anyway. I miss my family, Mrs. Potter and god knows Sybbie misses her cousins too," he trailed off.

The housekeeper placed a hand on top of Tom's and gave him a compassionate look.

"I understand, Mr. Branson," she said. "Being away from loved ones is one of the hardest things in the world," she smiled.

"I didn't think that being away from them could be this hard," he admitted.

Mrs. Potter smiled comfortingly at him.

"When were you planning on leaving?" She asked.

Tom hadn't really thought about it. Now that he knew he was going home, he just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"I'll need to go into work to hand in my notice," he said looking rather pensive. "And then I suppose I'll get on the earliest boat," he added.

The woman nodded in understanding.

"I'll have Miss Sybbie ready for when you return," she promised.

Tom could never express how grateful he was to her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Potter. You're very kind," he replied, smiling appreciatively at the older woman.

"You had better get to work, Mr. Branson," she advised him, "you wouldn't want to miss the next ferry."

"You're right," Tom agreed. He smiled at her for a moment longer before making his way to the coat stand and then to the door.

Without further ado, Mrs. Potter headed upstairs and got to work.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Tom returned to the house to collect the rest of his things. When he walked in, he found Sybbie waiting for him, her hair neatly combed and dressed in her best clothes. Mrs. Potter stood behind her with the suitcases fully packed at her feet. Tom was relieved to see that everything was sorted, he had been a little longer at his office than he had expected and he knew that if they were to catch the next boat, they would have to leave straight away.

"Hello darling," Tom said enthusiastically as his daughter ran to greet him.

"Mrs. Potter said we're going to see George!" The little girl told her father, clearly overjoyed at the prospect of being reunited with her playmate and the rest of her family.

Tom looked up at the older woman and smiled at her.

"Yes," he replied, hugging his daughter tighter, "we're going back to Downton."

It was as this point that Tom realised how much Sybbie had missed England, he had rarely seen her smile so brightly. He felt rather guilty for having taken her away from everything that she knew and loved. But now he would make everything right again, they would be reunited with everyone and they would never have to leave again.

"Would you like anything before you leave, Mr Branson?" Mrs. Potter asked as she made her way over to the father and daughter.

"No, Mrs. Potter," he paused for a second, "I think we have everything we need," he said, looking around to check if that was the case.

"I've packed some sandwiches for Miss Sybbie and yourself for the journey in case you get hungry," she told him, "and I've telephoned for a cab."

"What will I do without you?" He asked. "Thank you, Mrs. Potter," he said sincerely, "thank you for everything you have done for us."

"It had been my pleasure, Mr Branson," she replied.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

"That will be your car," she said before opening the door.

"Have you any luggage to put in the car, Sir?" The taxi driver asked.

"Yes, thank you," Tom replied, gesturing towards the bags at the bottom of the stairs. As the man entered the house and began carrying the suitcases out to the car, Tom took the time to bid farewell to his housekeeper and friend.

Once the goodbyes said and a couple of tears shed, Tom picked Sybbie up, took a deep breath and got into the taxi that would take them to the ferry port.

"Wave goodbye, darling," Tom told his daughter as she did as he said and waved to the older woman standing on the front porch.

This was it, now. They were going home. What a lovely prospect, Tom thought as he relaxed back against his seat and smiled at his little girl as she cuddled up to him.

* * *

It had been a long trip, Tom and Sybbie were both exhausted but unlike his daughter, Tom hadn't been able to sleep on the boat for excitement. When he had arrived in England, the weather seemed to echo his feelings: it was a bright sunny evening, the air was warm and calm. It was as though he was meant to be there. It was Sybil, he thought. His Sybil was letting him know that he was doing the right thing, she was telling him that everything would be alright now. He would be happy.

As the driver approached the gates to the big house, Tom asked him to park outside.

"I want to surprise them," he told the old chauffeur, "would you pull up just over here?"

"Certainly, sir," the old man replied. As instructed, he pulled over to the side of the road, just outside the majestic metal gates.

"Come along, Sybbie," Tom said, opening the door for her, "we're home."

The chauffeur helped him lift the luggage from the back of the car before driving away. Tom bent down to pick up the bags and Sybbie took a little one to help her father. He had imagined this scene over and over again in his head but he seemed to have forgotten about the part where he had to manage all the luggage by himself. Never mind, he told himself. They'd got this far, he would just have to manage.

They walked through the gates together - more like waddled in Tom's case – and began the short walk towards the abbey. As they got closer, they heard familiar voices coming from the lawn in front of the house.

"Look Daddy!" Sybbie exclaimed when she spotted her younger cousins running about the grounds.

Tom looked in their direction and smiled. He had butterflies in his tummy and his heart was beating faster and faster with every step he took.

"Go on then, go say hello to Georgie," Tom said, nudging her towards her cousins. He followed her with his eyes and smiled widely as she was reunited with her cousin. Just then, he noticed someone walking up behind George. He squinted to get a better look and smiled even wider when he realised just who it was. Mary.

He began making his way towards the small group, still struggling with the suitcases but not paying any attention to it, he only had eyes for one person.

"Tom!" Mary exclaimed as he neared. "What are you doing here? How did you get you here? When-"

Tom laughed as she stopped herself from asking too many questions.

"Mary," he said, finally having reached her. He wanted to hug her but the blasted bags were in the way. Without thinking twice he dropped them all on the ground and wrapped his arms around her as she kissed his cheek.

"I don't understand!" She said, pulling away, still in a state of shock, a beautiful smile plastered to her face.

Before he had the time to answer any of her questions, the rest of the family had made their way over to greet him and Sybbie.

"Tom!" Edith said, delighted to have her brother-in-law and niece back. "What are you doing here?" She asked after giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Cora walked up to them with Sybbie in her arms, closely followed by Violet who was secretly overcome with joy.

"We've come back!" Tom announced, "I thought that Boston would be a new start from Sybbie and I, but I was wrong. Downton is where we belong," he added to everyone's delight.

"It was only a matter of time," Violet began, "no one could purposely choose America over England," she said very matter-of-factly causing Cora to throw her an offended look.

"Granny," Edith said, attempting to defend her mama's country.

"There's no point in pretending otherwise, dear," Violet threw back.

Mary rolled her eyes at her grandmother.

"I can't believe you're back!" Mary exclaimed yet again. Tom and Sybbie were like the middle pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, the picture just wasn't quite right without them and no other piece could replace them: they were irreplaceable and indispensable to Downton Abbey.

"Nor can I," Tom laughed, "I've been wanting to come back for some time!"

"Well you should have come back earlier," Edith said as she bent down to pick up little Marigold.

"For once, I agree with Edith," Mary said, nearly cringing at the thought, "I can't bear to see you unhappy, Tom," she added, placing a hand on his forearm.

"Well as long as I'm here, with you I could never be that," he smiled.

"I hope you mean that," Mary replied, a tear in her eye.

"I do," he promised.

 **TBC...**

* * *

 _ **I wanted to do Tom's point of view seen as in the series, we didn't really get to see what happened before he turned up at the Carson/Hughes wedding reception. I hope you enjoyed it, I had fun writing it.  
** _

_**Again please review and let me know what you thought. Oh and just in case anyone forgot (I don't know if that's possible) DOWNTON'S ON TOMORROW!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**So now that Tom's back from America he has a lot of catching up to do.  
I promised that the chapters would get longer and I've kept my promise.  
I hope you enjoy! Oh and Downton's on toniiigggght!**_

* * *

A couple of hours later, Tom had unpacked and had settled in his old room. He couldn't have been happier to be back. When he had stepped back into his room, it had felt as though he had never left. The bed sheets were the same, the few belongings he had left behind were still where he had left them on the shelf above his dresser. The dinner suits that he hadn't taken with him still hung in the wardrobe. Everything had remained untouched while he had been away in hope that he might return one day, which fortunately, he had.

Before heading downstairs to dinner, he decided to visit the children in the nursery. He wanted to check that Sybbie had settled back in alright and since his arrival, he hadn't had the chance to say a proper hello to his niece and nephew.

When he reached the nursery, he heard a voice coming from inside. He pushed the door opened just enough to catch a glimpse and spotted Edith sitting on a chair in a corner of the room with Marigold on her lap. He smiled to himself at the lovely sight, she was such a doting mother to her little girl. Although he didn't want to intrude, he quietly pushed the door open and walked in.

Edith looked up as he entered and smiled fondly at him while she stroked her daughter's curly hair.

"I just wanted a moment with the children before dinner," Tom explained, "I didn't really get a chance earlier," he said, taking a seat on the floor by George and Sybbie who were happily playing away with their farmyard animals.

"They've missed you, especially George," Edith informed him. "Mary has tried multiple times to play the farmer with him but I dare say he'd much rather you," she smiled.

Tom giggled at the idea.

"Don't let her hear you laughing," she added, "she's running the estate now and she takes it quite seriously," she said, putting Marigold down onto the carpet at her own request.

"I know, she's been keeping me updated," he replied. "It's rather modern, having a woman take on the job of estate manager," he said as he continued to play with the children, "she's strong willed, I'll give her that." He had so much admiration for Mary, she had come so far and achieved so much. If someone would have told him that Lady Mary Crawley would one day become Downton's estate manager when he first arrived there in 1912, he wouldn't have thought twice about laughing in their face. Of course, he didn't know her well enough back then but he was well aware of everything that she had been through and he for one was very proud of her.

"She certainly is!" Edith agreed, not sure if that was entirely a good thing.

"She's not the only one, it would seem," he began, "Robert tells me you've become quite the editor since I left."

"Well, I wouldn't say that," Edith replied modestly, "although I have been spending quite a lot of time in London of late."

"I'm sure Rosamund will be glad of the company," he remarked, smiling at little Marigold as she handed him a miniature horse.

"As a matter of fact I've been staying in the flat Michael left me." She looked pensive for a moment. "I've actually been considering moving to London," she said, staring at the floor as she spoke.

Tom stopped what he was doing and looked up at her.

"You mean to leave Downton?" He asked, rather surprised at her declaration. He had never thought of Edith as a townie before, he knew she loved London but he never anticipated her moving there.

"I'm thinking about it, yes," she replied, playing nervously with her necklace. "I'm a mother now," she said lowering her voice in case anyone should overhear them, "I have to put Marigold first and do what I think is best for her. In London we would be able to start afresh, away from the Drewes and the bad memories. And besides, I spend most of my time in London nowadays, it would only make sense to live there too."

"That's quite a speech!" Tom said, taking everything in. "It's a big decision, leaving your home, your family..." he trailed off, "I should know."

"The idea has been on my mind for a while now, I haven't told anyone but you though so please don't mention it the family." She wouldn't want them to find out about it from anyone but herself. She was glad of Tom's return, it felt good to finally voice her thoughts and plans. She couldn't tell her parents, they wouldn't understand and would almost certainly try to stop her. She definitely couldn't tell granny, it was far too modern a plan for her taste… And she wasn't likely to speak to Mary about it. No, Tom was her only ally and she was grateful for him.

"Well I've had my adventure and it turned out to be a disappointment but I will tell you this: whatever your decision may be, be it to stay at Downton and raise Marigold here or leave for the city to start anew, know that I will always support you and be there for you as you have been for me."

"Oh Tom," Edith sobbed as she got up from her seat and wrapped her arms around her brother-in-law. "Thank you," she whispered.

"There's no need to thank me," he smiled.

Edith pulled away and wiped the few tears that had escaped her, from her cheek and smiled at him.

"We'd better be heading down," she reminded him, "they'll be wondering where we've got to."

"Quite right," Tom agreed as he stood up and opened the door for her.

* * *

"Where on earth is Mary, and what is taking her so long?" Robert asked as he, along with the rest of the family sat patiently at the table, awaiting Mary's arrival.

"She said something about going to visit one of the neighboring farms," Cora told him, "she said she wouldn't be long," she added, sighing as her stomach gurgled for food.

"Typical Mary," Edith said, rolling her eyes.

It was unlike Mary to be late to dinner, Tom thought. She was usually one of the first down.

"Shall we just begin?" Cora asked. She wouldn't mind but this wasn't the first time she had been late down, it was becoming quite frequent.

"Mmh, I suppose so," Robert replied, looking up at the footman and signaling them to serve the food. "If she can't get back in time to have dinner with her family then it's her own faul-"

Just then, the door opened and Mary entered, slightly out of breath.

"I'm sorry everyone," she apologized as she made her way to her seat next to Tom, "Mr. Berch insisted on showing me his cows as well as the pigs and I really couldn't refuse the man who took the time to take me through all the books and I found it rather interesting," she explained as she took her seat. "I've agreed to go back down there first thing tomorrow morning," she paused and stared at her father, "what are your thoughts on getting some cows at Downton?" She asked.

Everyone at the table sat with their mouths agape.

"Well I'd have to think about it," Robert answered, "but can we talk about it after dinner? We have all been waiting a while and we're rather hungry."

"Amen to that!" Edith intervened.

Mary threw her sister an annoyed look before turning back to her papa and nodding.

"Of course, please forgive me," she replied, bending over to the side slightly as Andy filled her wine glass.

Tom smiled to himself. Mary really had devoted herself to the world of business and he couldn't have been happier for her. She seemed to have found her purpose and she certainly wasn't taking it for granted. Once again, his mind drifted to thoughts of Sybil, she was all for feminism and it seemed her older sister had embraced it with open arms.

* * *

After dinner, the family gathered in the drawing room in front of the warm fire and drank some of house's best champagne in order to celebrate Tom's return.

Later on after all the fuss had died down and the Dowager had left for the night, Tom and Mary took a seat in the corner of the room and took the chance to properly catch up.

"It's been an eventful day!" Tom said as he placed his glass on the small table next to him.

"It certainly has!" Mary agreed. "I'm exhausted, but I suppose you are too," she added, taking a sip from her glass.

"I am, I didn't sleep a wink on the way here," he smiled.

"Well at least you can catch up on your sleep in the days to come," she sighed. She did have an awful lot to do, but she didn't mind. She liked keeping busy although she did miss her sleep from time to time.

"Ah well, about that," he began, straightening his composure a little, "I don't want to have the time to stay in bed all day. I need something to occupy my time, I've worked all my life and I can't stop now," he explained.

"Oh, well what did you have in mind?" She asked.

"I thought I might help you, in the running of the estate," he replied.

"Tom," she began but he cut her off.

"I know that you have been managing on your own since I left for America – well, more than managing by the looks of things – and I don't mean to take over," he paused, "but I could help you, and it would mean that you arrive for dinner on time," he smiled, causing Mary to laugh a little.

"It isn't that I don't want you," she paused, "it's just that I've got used to doing things on my own," she trailed off.

"I understand that, I do, but if I put the hours in, it would only take me a couple of days to catch up."

She could hardly refuse him, could she? The look he was giving her looked over rehearsed but it still got to her. If they did work together again, it would mean she'd have more time at home with George. She hadn't had much time to herself of late and the prospect of sleeping in again was rather appealing…

"Alright," she finally agreed, "we'll go to the office tomorrow and I'll take you over the documents."

"Thank you," he said, sighing in relief.

"Now that that's clear, tell me about America."

* * *

The next morning, after having visited Mr. Berch's farm yet again, Mary headed down to the office to meet Tom.

When she walked in, she found him already sat at the desk going over the books.

"You're very eager," she said, making him jump as she hung up her hat and coat.

"I thought I'd make a start," he replied. "How was your visit to the farm?" He inquired without taking his eyes of the documents in his hands.

"Very interesting as usual and Mr. Berch's wife was kind enough to give me breakfast," she replied, taking a seat opposite the desk Tom was sat at.

"Didn't you have breakfast before you left?" He asked, looking up from the papers.

"I was up before the servants and besides, I wasn't very hungry," she replied.

"Do you often miss breakfast?" He asked, feeling rather concerned for her welfare.

"Sometimes," she said as though it didn't matter, "I have work to do, I don't always have time."

"Well from now on I want you to make sure that you eat," he told her, sounding rather serious. "I'm here now so there's no need for you to be skipping meals."

She smiled at him and nodded. She was glad he was back, she had secretly missed having someone tell her what to do although she would never admit it. He had only been back a day and already things were starting to look more positive.

She had had something on her mind for a while and she decided that she should talk to Tom about it.

"It's George's fifth birthday next week and the fifth anniversary of Matthew's death," she trailed off, staring down at the floor.

"Of course," Tom replied, suddenly engulfed in melancholy. It was always a hard day for the family, especially for Mary. It was so unfortunate that two very different events should take place on the same day. He knew better than most how Mary felt, they were both in the same boat in that respect. Both of them had lost their partners the very same day as their child was born. He put down the books he had been reading and turned his attention entirely to Mary.

"How would you feel about throwing a party?" She asked. "The children could come down before the guests arrived and George could open his presents. We could invite all the usual guests and we could properly celebrate your return."

Tom enjoyed the parties they threw at Downton, they were always a great success but he wondered if it were appropriate.

"I'm flattered that you would want to throw a party for me, but are you quite sure you'll be up to it? Come next week, you may change your mind, after all it will be a sad day..." He knew how pessimistic he sounded but he had to be realistic. He wouldn't want a big party on the anniversary of Sybil's death and he wasn't sure Mary would be able to handle it either.

"That's just the point, I don't want it to be a sad day. Matthew wouldn't want that. He would want me to celebrate our son's birthday as well as your return. I want to cherish his memory and not feel unhappy every time I mention his name," she explained.

He didn't know what had happened to Mary while he had been away but she had certainly come a long way. He felt proud of her, of what she had done. She was finally taking control of her life. She was becoming the person he had known her to be all along. She was stronger, more determined and he admired that.

"I understand," he replied, "And I agree with you, Matthew wouldn't want you to be unhappy, he loved you very much."

"I know he did," she paused for a moment, taking a moment to remember her floppy haired solicitor, "and I loved him."

Tom felt for her, he really did. It had almost been six years since his darling Sybil had left him but he knew now that she would have wanted him to get on with his life and to be happy. He had known that for a while and he was doing his best to do so not only for his sake but for Sybbie's.

"Do you want to go on a ride this afternoon?" He asked her. When it came to riding, he didn't even come close to Mary's level of expertise but he knew that it was something she loved to do and he thought perhaps it would help take her mind off things.

Mary looked at him and raised an eyebrow in amusement. "With you?" She asked. "I thought you only rode when forced," she reminded him.

"I've lived in America for months, I think a ride in the fresh air would do me good," he replied.

She looked at him suspiciously, she knew there was more to it than that but she hadn't been on a ride for weeks and the idea appealed to her.

"Alright," she agreed. "I have to go into the village after luncheon though so I'll ask Lynch to have the horses saddled for four o'clock if that's alright with you."

"That's fine by me," he replied turning back to his work.

* * *

After having taken the horses back to the stables, Tom and Mary walked back up to the house.

"Look at the state of you two!" Cora remarked just as she was on her way into the library.

"We had rather hoped to make it up to our rooms unseen," Mary replied, taking off her hat and running a hand through her hair.

As Tom walked through the front doors, both women stood and looked at him from head to toe. Cora stood looking confused, her mouth agape.

"What happened to you?" Cora asked, shocked at how much dirt he had all over him. Had he been riding or wresting in the mud?

"He came off down by the river," Mary informed her mama.

Tom gave Mary an unimpressed look. Did she have to tell everyone? He was cold, wet and filthy and quite frankly embarrassed. He could only hope that Mary had enjoyed the ride. Once she had made sure he hadn't been hurt, she had certainly found his fall rather funny. Seeing her laugh had made it all worth it though but now all he could think about was a nice warm bath.

"I think I'll stick to the paperwork," Tom announced as he waddled past Mary and Cora and headed up to his room.

Mary raised an eyebrow at her mother as he passed them and they shared a look of amusement.

"I'd better go up too if I'm not to be late for dinner," Mary decided as she too made her way to her bedroom.

* * *

"Your mother tells me you took Diamond out this afternoon," Robert said, looking up at his eldest daughter before taking a sip of white wine.

"Yes, although I think we'll both pay for it tomorrow," she replied, looking over at Tom who nodded in agreement.

"I didn't know you rode," Isobel said, turning to face Tom.

"I don't usually," he replied.

"He thought it would do him good, after spending so much time in the city," Mary explained.

"There's nothing like the joys of the English countryside after returning from a foreign city," Violet pointed out.

"I couldn't agree more," Tom answered.

"Well, naturally," Violet added putting a grin on Tom's face.

"Are you catching the 9 o'clock tomorrow?" Cora asked Edith who seemed to be left out of the conversation.

"I am, I don't think I'll be back in time for dinner though," she replied.

"What's this?" Robert inquired, taking a bite of food.

"I'm going up to London tomorrow to meet a friend," Edith clarified not wanting to go into to much detail.

"Oh?" Robert asked. "Which friend?"

"You remember, Robert, I told you about it the other night," Cora reminded him.

"Oh of course, Mr. Pelham," he remembered, "well do say hello from us."

Edith nodded. "Do you mind looking after Marigold for the day?" She asked her mother.

"Of course not, I'll take her on a walk," she replied, after all the weather had been so wonderful lately and she would enjoy some alone time with her youngest granddaughter.

Edith smiled gratefully.

"Oh, Mama," Mary remembered, "Tom and I have decided to throw a party next Tuesday to let everyone know he's back and I thought we could have a little get together before hand for George," she informed her.

"Well," she replied, "it is a little short notice but I suppose it would be nice. I'll send out the invites tomorrow morning."

"Good, I'm glad that's settled," Mary said, taking a sip of her wine.

"I can't believe that George is almost five years old," Isobel smiled half-hardheartedly. If only her son was here to see how sweet his son had turned out.

"I know, it seems like only yesterday that he was born," Mary replied.

"Time flies," Edith said. She couldn't believe it had been three years since she had given Marigold away in Switzerland. She felt so thankful in that moment to have her little girl at home with her where she belonged.

"It certainly does," Tom smiled.

 **TBC...**

* * *

 _ **So that's all for this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and let me know what you thought & follow the story if you don't want to miss the rest!**_

 _ **In the next chapter we'll see Edith in London, keep reading !**_


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